


In Black & White

by K_Hanna_Korossy



Category: Starsky & Hutch
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-15
Updated: 2015-09-15
Packaged: 2018-04-18 03:17:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4690196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/K_Hanna_Korossy/pseuds/K_Hanna_Korossy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shootout tag: Starsky's report on the shooting leads to discussion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Black & White

Written: 2003

First published in "Compadres 24" (2004)

_ It was a dark and stormy night. _

"Starsky, that's gotta be the oldest writing cliché there is."

"It was dark, right?"

"Yeah, but–"

"And it was raining and thundering, right?"

"Starsky–"

"So what are you squawkin' about?  Just keep reading."

Sigh.

_ Detective Hutchinson and I, Det. Starsky, had decided to stop at Giovanni's at 351 N. Main Street for a late dinner after work. _

"Actually, you wanted breakfast, remember?  Scrambled eggs or something like that?"

"Who's gonna care what we were there for?"

Pause.  "True."

_ I left to use the restroom while Det. Hutchinson got up to look at the jukebox.  _   _Suspect 1, Joseph Martin, came up behind Det. Hutchinson and held a gun to his back, ordering him to return to his seat._

"It was Lockley with the gun, and do you realize how oblivious this makes me sound, Starsky?"

"Why?  Didn't you say he came up behind you?"

"Yeah, but while I was checking out the jukebox?  Did you have to put that in there?"

"You know what Dobey says about complete reports.  Okay, I changed it to Lockley – just keep reading, will ya?"

_ I returned from the restroom, saw Det. Hutchinson being held at gunpoint and reached for my weapon.  At the same time, the waitress came out of the kitchen and stepped into my line of fire, allowing Martin to shoot first, striking me in the head and shoulder. _

"Why'd you stop reading?  Hutch?"

"It's just . . . you make it sound so casual, 'striking me in the head and shoulder.'"

"What do you want me to write?"

"I don't know, something about all the blood and you lying there not moving while I thought you were dead.  How's that for starters?"

"Hey, it's okay.  I'm fine.  It all turned out okay, right?"

"But they should know what really ha-happened."

"Maybe we should do this later, huh?  I bet Dobey would–"

"No, I'm . . . I'm okay, Starsk.  I just . . . I think it's a little cold, you know?"

"I know.  I'll work on it, okay?"

"No . . . Look, don't mind me.  Guess I'm just being jumpy."

"Don't worry about it, you're entitled.  But can I quote you on not minding ya?"

_ Martin and Suspect 2, Thomas Lockley, allowed Det. Hutchinson to move me into the back room. _

"'Move you,' huh?"

"I figured 'carry me' might give somebody the wrong impression.  No offense, but I gotta keep up my image."

"What image?"

_ Det. Hutchinson was able to provide basic treatment with restaurant supplies before being forced by Martin and Lockley to return to the front room.  By then he had learned from the waitress, Theresa Milano, that Lockley and Martin were there to kill Victor Monte when he came for dinner at midnight. _

"Is there a supplemental about the arrangement Theresa had with Lockley and Martin?"

"About callin' them when Monte made a reservation?  That's why I put the little star in there – see the footnote on the bottom?  I figured referrin' to Theresa's statement would do it."

"Well, Dobey might not agree with you, but leave it for now, maybe he won't notice.  And it's called an 'asterisk,' Starsky."

"Whatever."

_ Det. Hutchinson devised a plan in which I would create a diversion and he would attempt to jump and disarm Lockley and Martin.  It failed, due to one of the other restaurant patrons, James Lee Hunter, also attempting to rush Martin and Lockley at the same time, leaving Det. Hutchinson no choice but to save Hunter instead of– _

"Starsky, this makes me seem like some kind of hero, 'devising plans' and 'leaving me no choice' but to save Jimmy Lee.  The guy could have gotten us all killed and the diversion didn't help you any."

"Not your fault I fell off the couch.  And it was a good plan – probably woulda worked if Jimmy Lee hadn't been stupid.  You know Martin would've killed him if you hadn't talked him out of it."

"Yeah, well, as far as I'm concerned, we were both taking this one step at a time, you just as much as me."

"I know, partner, but you're not exactly objective when it comes to me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing.  Just keep going."

"Fine, but this discussion isn't over yet."

_ – instead of taking the suspects by surprise as intended.  Due to a personal relationship with Hunter, Milano was willing to assist Det. Hutchinson in a second plan, retrieving a gun for him from the restaurant register. _

"'Personal relationship'?  I wouldn't let Theresa hear you say that."

"Guess you haven't heard – she stopped by and told me she and Jimmy Lee are gettin' married next month in Vegas."

"No kidding?  Huh.  Did you hear Sammy and Robin are a couple now, too?  Maybe we should go into the matchmaking business."

"I think bein' a cop is safer.  Keep reading."

_ With the excuse of checking on me in the back room, Det. Hutchinson was able to assemble the old firearm and– _

"That wasn't an excuse."

"What?"

"I went back there because I was worried about you.  The gun came up after that."

"I thought–"

"For all I knew, you were back there bleeding to death.  The whole race was to stop Lockley and Martin so we could get you to the hospital in time, not to save a mobster from getting shot while he was eating his linguine."

"They would've killed all of us after they killed Monte, you know that."

"I know, I know, but are you telling me honestly you wouldn't have been thinking about me first if our roles had been reversed."

Pause.  "No."

"Some cop I am, huh?"

"Best in my book.  You got us all out of there alive, Hutch.  Doesn't matter why."

"So, uh, anyway, with you not feeling anything in your arm, I knew we were running out of time.  That's when I thought about the restaurant maybe having a gun."

"Smart thinking.  _That's_ bein' a good cop."

"Yeah, well. . ."

_ – assemble the old firearm and plan a diversion with Milano.  Upon returning to the front room, Milano knocked over a tray and in the confusion, Det. Hutchinson shot and wounded Lockley and killed Martin. _

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just thinking.  No way to make that sound any better on paper, either, is there?"

"What, killing Martin?  The man was an animal, Hutch.  Puttin' him down was really what you did."

"It's still killing a person."

"You sorry you did it?"

"No."

"Then let it go, buddy.  You did your job, saved a bunch of people, and stopped some bad guys the only way you could.  Saved my life, too.  You've got nothing to be sorry for."

"Do you ever see any shades of grey, Starsk?  Or is the world always this black-and-white to you?"

"Where's the grey here?  We're the good guys, they're the bad guys.  We made it, we're okay, we're together, and they're never gonna hurt anyone again.  What's grey about that, Hutch?"

"You may have to remind me about that sometimes."

"'S what I'm here for."

_ Lockley was arrested (see charge sheet) and remanded to the custody of the hospital jail ward.  Monte never arrived on scene.  End. _

"I saw him at the hospital.  Did you know that?"

"Who, Lockley?"

"Yup.  He was just down the hall from you.  I met his brother.  Seemed like a nice guy, actually.  I felt kinda sorry for him."

"Monsters don't always run in families.  What were you doin' down there?"

"Just taking a walk to clear my head.  You weren't out of the woods yet and I guess I wasn't thinking straight."

"Yeah . . . kinda ironic that Monte never showed, huh?"

"I guess in the long run, it didn't matter.  It wasn't really about Monte, after all."

"Tell that to Lockley.  Or Martin."

"I think Lockley knew it, too, by the end.  They should never have shot a cop."

"A cop, or your partner?"

Silence.

"So . . . what do you think of the report?"

"Don't change a word of it.  It jives with mine and I think it has everything it needs.  I'll run it by Dobey and then file it."

"You comin' by to see me tomorrow?"

"Haven't I been in every day?  I swear, Starsky, sometimes you're like an overgrown kid.  Besides, how could I miss you getting sprung?  I'll be here with that rotten vegetable you call a car."

"Hey, that car has a lot more class than your heap ever will."

"Sure, Starsky." 

"Hutch, wait.  The stuff I left out of the report . . . I figure it's nobody else's business, but . . . I just wanted you to know, I'm not gonna forget."

Pause.  "Me, neither, Starsk.  Now, get some sleep, huh?  I'll see you in the morning."

"'Night."

And outside in the darkness, the hard rain washed the streets clean.


End file.
